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SIMULATION
SYSTEM VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION:
THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE
Edward P. Harvey
BMH Associates, Inc.
Norfolk, VA
Many dynamics contribute to
the overall success or failure of a simulation system development. If
success is defined as delivering the capability that fulfills the customer’s
needs it should be program management’s goal to clearly understand
customer requirements then insure the software developer adequately
addresses these requirements across the life cycle of the development. We
have to assume these goals are not easily achievable given the number of
simulation systems delivered with deficiencies that impact the customer’s
ability to employ the simulation for its intended purpose.
How does the program manager know customer requirements are being
adequately addressed? Are periodic reviews where the system engineer in
charge of the software development team tells the program manager how well
the effort is progressing sufficient? What questions should the program
manager ask during these reviews to determine actual program “health”?
What are the “right” answers the system engineer should be providing
to these questions? A viable approach for determining actual status at key
points in the development life cycle is based on application of an
integrated software development and V&V process based on sound
software engineering practices. Development status can then be judged by
the program manager based on V&V results.
The introduction of this paper will explain Department of Defense (DoD)
V&V terminology, describe the difference
between “software” validation and “representation” validation,
discuss the cost impact of performing V&V, and address
who should be responsible for validation. A “generic” software
development process will then be used to show how V&V
tasks can be practically integrated with software development tasks to
increase quality of the products delivered and
decrease program cost. Finally, a list of questions the program manager
can use to determine the extent which customer
requirements are being addressed during development will be provided.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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DESIGNING
GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS FOR DAY-ONE JOB
PERFORMANCE
Janet Cichelli
WPI, Inc.
Rockville, Maryland
Government organizations realize
that the human element largely determines the success or failure of any
system implementation. Unfortunately, nearly all computer systems are designed
around the processing of data and devoid of consideration of the user, or how the work really needs to be
performed. As a result, training and end-user support services have flourished as a way to help users figure out
how to work around these systems. Performance support is about helping to build knowledge and job competency
into the system design to
enable users to be proficient on day one. By focusing our attention on the
human side of computer-mediated
work, we can bring the issue of job performance to the forefront and
multiply its benefits
throughout the organization. As a result of implementing a
performance-centered approach to systems
development, government organizations can reduce or eliminate training and
help desk support, eliminate errors and costly rework, and institutionalize best
practice
approaches throughout their organization.
Using the scenario of a hypothetical government system roll-out, this paper
will present the problems encountered by workers trying to learn and use the new system. Offered as an
alternative to traditional systems design, this paper will present an overview of performance-centered
system design, driving factors in government, and benefits that can be achieved through a
performance support approach.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT OF A COMPLEX SIMULATION PROGRAM
LESSONS LEARNED FROM STOW
Rae W. Dehncke
STOW Program Manager
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
3701 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203-1714
(703) 284-8892
rdehncke@darpa.mil
Donna J. Brooks
AB Technologies, Inc.
1600 North Beauregard Street
Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22311
(703) 575-1087
dbrooks@abtechnologies.com
The Synthetic Theater of War (STOW) is an Advanced Concepts Technology
Demonstration (ACTD) being conducted in conjunction with USACOM and the United Kingdom. In November
1997, STOW 97 successfully demonstrated, in the largest ever entity based training simulation,
that it is possible to support training from the platform level to the Joint Task Force with the same
simulation. The program +management of this complex, international program is both interesting and
challenging. The STOW Management team has learned many lessons that would be of interest to the
simulation community. The organization and management of such a complex program requires careful planning
and a willingness to make organizational changes as the program evolves from phase to phase. The
selection of key players, assignment of responsibilities and relationships among the members
of the
program is critical to the ultimate success of the program. The information flow within a complex program
must be carefully planned and adjusted as the program changes direction. Decision making with
regard to schedules, milestone development, testing and integration was a major responsibility for
the entire program’s leadership. The contracting effort to resource the 250 contractors in this
program must be flexible and evolutionary to support program requirements and organization. Developing
program management reporting requirements, conducting baseline reviews, determining required
deliverables and the overall management of equipment was a significant task. As JSIMS and its Service
component programs grapple with the issues of program management of their equally large and
challenging programs, the lessons learned during STOW will assist them and other members of the simulation
community to manage their programs more efficiently and effectively.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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Developing an
Automated Documentation Environment
PATRICIA MESSIER ADAMS
SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
ORLANDO, FLORIDA, USA
Documentation for training software systems
has heretofore been burdened with vast amounts of data requiring well-monitored yet time-consuming maintenance and
configuration management. Development and management of software
documentation for training systems can now benefit from the utilization of recently devised
automated documentation tools and CASE tools. In recent months, the facilitation of
such management through automation has been examined with regard to such newly
innovated document automation tools as well as the utilization of Internet Web sites
for automated data updates within a distributed environment. As an example, Software
Development Folders (SDFs) for the Joint Simulation System (JSIMS) Build 0 were
developed using an automated documentation tool created for a word processing
application in conjunction with a modeling CASE tool. The modeling CASE tool creates a “Model”
containing Categories and Classes and their respective documentation and
appropriate diagrams. The automation tool extracts such pertinent data from the Model
and creates a document comprised of “links” to the actual work products amid a textual
environment.
Any automated features not readily provided for by the automation tool and
not residing in the Model are generated using hyperlink capability and Internet Web
directories.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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ADVANCES
IN KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY VIEWPOINT
Kas Kasravi, C.Mfg.E
EDS
Troy, Michigan
Effective management of
knowledge is a critical issue for organizations in the public and private
sectors. The forces of economic efficiency, competition, employee attrition,
data-overload, and business/technical complexities create a significant need for efficient
acquisition, representation, and retrieval of knowledge. Enterprise-level solutions must address both the
organizational as well as the technical aspects of knowledge management, with the
latter being the primary
focus of this paper. Traditionally, organizations have relied on the minds of their
employees and
staff to learn and use knowledge as appropriate. The conventional knowledge management
techniques
have included training, reference documents, discussions, and trial and error. Information
technology advances in the recent years have been propelling knowledge management from the experimental stage
to the mainstream, and success stories among the early adopters are more frequent than in other
reengineering processes. Development of a knowledge management solution requires complex
organizational and technical issues to be addressed simultaneously.
This paper provides an overview of knowledge management, its business
drivers, success stories, and a discussion of strategies and issues pertinent to its successful
implementation.
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ALPHA
CONTRACTING: STREAMLINING
PROCUREMENT THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
CDR C.W. Toomer
Naval Air Systems Command (PMA205-2D)
Patuxent River, MD
Donald S. Selvy
Don Selvy Enterprises, Inc.
Bel Air, MD
Robert Howard
Analysis & Technology, Inc.
Arlington, VA
Donald Davies
Lockheed Martin Federal Systems
Manassas, VA
Procurement of a modern training system
requires input from a broad array of disciplines from government and industry to define the requirements, secure
funding, develop a technical solution, select a vendor and negotiate a
contract. Coordinating this pool of talent to develop a system on time and
under budget can be profoundly difficult - particularly when major system
awards occur infrequently and personnel turnover is high. Alpha contracting
is a procurement method in which industry and government jointly develop the
proposal to reduce inefficiencies. Vendor selection occurs early and the
contracting process is used as a tool to build a cohesive team. Although the
concept is widely discussed, little formal guidance exists on how to
actually set up and run an Alpha procurement. This paper will describe lessons
learned from two major training device alpha acquisitions (one a new contract and
the other an ECP).
Using these lessons, we will present a formal set of guidelines that can be applied by any industry/government team to develop a modern trainer suite. For each milestone, we will discuss regulatory requirements, organizational hurdles and opportunities for streamlining. Conscientiously applied, these
guidelines will result in cost reductions, reduced procurement time, clearer requirements and a strong business base that benefits both industry and government team members.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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THE
TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION (CRADA) PROCESS…
EXPERIENCES FROM THE C-130H2/H3 ATS PROGRAM
Lt. Col. Robert G. Speer, AFRC
HQ AFRC Requirements
Wright Patterson AFB, OH
Mr. Michael J. Sieverding
Principal Analyst, ARINC Incorporated
Dayton, OH
The DOD Technology Transition program was established through
public law to allow technologies developed through DOD investment to transfer to and be exploited in
the public and non-DOD sectors. A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is a tool for
the government and a non-government partner to work together to transfer technology
for the technological and financial benefits of both parties. Using CRADA, the subject technology is
immune from release under the Freedom of Information Act, and complex laws regulating military
procurement and disposition of funds are avoided.
At last count, 65 nations and numerous commercial carriers fly C-130 aircraft.
Over 30 high fidelity C-130 flight simulators support C-130 aircrew training throughout the
world. None of these simulators had their aero performance software developed from an authoritative
aero data package collected from an instrumented C-130 aircraft. The C-130H2/H3 Aircrew Training
System (ATS) is an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) program managed through ASC/YW at Wright Patterson
AFB, OH. The program includes an investment in the collection and reduction of
authoritative aero performance data from an instrumented AFRC C-130 aircraft. The
C-130H2/H3 ATS program has
accomplished plans to apply the CRADA process to the repackaging and marketing of the C-130
aero data package for potential sale to non-DOD and commercial interests. Resulting
funds can be
reused by the C-130H2/H3 ATS program, the CRADA industry partner can achieve an enhanced
business base,
technology founded on a DOD investment can benefit non-DOD sectors, and the worldwide C-130
flight simulation community can achieve more effective training. Lessons learned from the
C-130H2/H3 ATS experience with the CRADA process can be used as a model by other government simulation
programs possessing marketable technologies.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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WORKING
SMARTER: TRAINING AND SIMULATION DEVELOPED
THROUGH COLLABORATION
Joe T. McClure
Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center
Indian Head, MD
Military operations have entered a new era of
uncertainty, requiring agility, rapid response, and innovative teamwork. In turn, training systems play an increasingly larger
role in achieving the goal of military readiness. Just as the complexion of military operations
has changed, so has the strategy of developing the training systems to support military readiness.
Traditional procurement, with its associated long product development cycles and high
cost, is
impractical in today's environment. It virtually guarantees a training system will be both
technically out of date and not as effective in meeting current needs by the time it is delivered. This
paper presents a successful approach for the procurement and development of training systems, one that
responds to varied and changing needs in a timely and cost effective manner.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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Focusing
System Development Efforts:
The Requirements Definition and Management Process
Robert E. Paladeau
Advanced Systems Group
Science Applications International Corporation
Hampton, VA.
System requirement management is a difficult
and complex process demanding a
concentrated and dedicated effort. Modern technology has reached an advanced
state where it can be difficult to focus on specific requirements, goals and
objectives during the development of new systems. Software and hardware capabilities improve
almost monthly. Given enough resources (time, funds, and qualified personnel),
development teams can construct simulations to analyze, model or train nearly any
military, commercial, economic, or social activity. The critical part of the system
development process is definition of what is to be built and why. Identification of a
clearly stated system purpose, attainable goals, simply defined objectives, and hierarchical
requirements will bound the system development process. Requirements must be defined,
reviewed, confirmed, and refined, if needed. Use of a Requirements Management (RM)
process will assist in focusing development and integration efforts to best support
system goals and objectives.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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OPTIMISING
SPECIALIST MILITARY TRAINING ADVICE WITHIN THE PROCUREMENT
CYCLE
Dr David Swift, Lt Col Cliff Martindill and Maj Chris Allender
Development, Projects & Research Group,
Training Support Branch,
HQ AG (Personnel and Training Command),
Wiltshire, United Kingdom.
For 30 years, the British Army has employed the
Systems Approach to Training (SAT) as a means of quality assuring its most important and expensive activity undertaken to
ensure operational success - training. However, while the academic principles underpinning SAT
remain sound, the supporting procedures and organisational infrastructure were developed
before
the widespread procurement and use of synthetic training environments to which they are
difficult to apply. The result was that the military’s own training specialists were often denied
a voice within the procurement cycle until too late. While many training equipments remain elegant
pieces of engineering, they are frequently over complex, fielded too late to support the
initial deployment of the operational equipment and, above all, badly designed from an instructional
point of view. In an initial attempt to rectify this situation, Training Support Branch
developed guidelines for Training Needs Analysis (TNA), in which TNA is understood to be a special case
of SAT. The guidelines provide a framework within which TNAs may be managed and quality
assured. Variants of TNA procedures were developed independently by the Royal Navy and
Royal Air Force at about the same time and have since been harmonised to reflect a
tri-Service view. The effectiveness of the TNA procedures would still, however, be sub-optimal
until adequately supported by elements of the organisational infrastructure of the procurement
system. This paper describes the results of a study undertaken by the authors to address this
issue. The proposed solution integrates the complementary concerns of the procurement system,
Integrated Logistics Support and Human Factors Integration (‘MANPRINT’).
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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IMMERSIVE
SIMULATIONS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER:
DO WE NEED THEM?
Roy Latham
Computer Graphics Systems Development Corporation
Mountain View, California
Admiral Piper
U.S. Army Simulation Training and Instrumentation Command
Orlando, Florida
Gary Hubbard
Sherikon, Inc.
Fort Benning, Georgia
Training our Army through the use of increasingly sophisticated
simulations is in many ways becoming routine. The case for vehicle simulators has been well established based in
large part on the relative costs of operating real vehicles versus simulators. However, the case for
immersive simulators for individual soldiers is not so well established, consequently the
research and
development of such simulators has been proceeding slowly. This paper examines the case for
individual soldier simulators relative to the cost of live exercises, the ability to build and control the
training scenario, and the ability to train safely. The immediate high-benefit applications of individual soldier
simulators include mission rehearsal and the development of soldier systems, and in these cases the
benefits derive mainly from the ability to build and control scenarios that cannot be effectively achieved
by other means. In addi-tion, combined arms training is rapidly moving to simulators both for cost and
training effectiveness as mounting large field exercises becomes more expensive and less
operationally
feasible. While prog-ress has been made in individual soldier simulators, renewed research and
development
efforts are needed in critical areas of technology such as visual databases and locomotion
simulation platforms.
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Robert
E. Paladeau
Advanced Systems Group
Science Applications International Corporation
Hampton, Virginia
Perhaps
the most difficult problem facing military trainers today. While the
“Intelligence Process” is defined in joint and service-particular
doctrinal publications 1, the modeling of the process is much more
troublesome. Over the recent years, there have been many efforts to improve
M+S of intelligence processes, each with a limited degree of success.
However, there is still no fielded integrated M+S system available capable
of providing effective multi-discipline intelligence training. To maximize
effectiveness, an intelligence training system must include representation
of collection sensors and platforms, accurate raw and/or processed
information reporting, real dissemination methods, and use of fielded
command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) systems.
In order for intelligence training to be successfully supported by M+S, a
complete systems approach is needed with all aspects of the system
constructed to support to intelligence training. The systems approach to
intelligence M+S development requires each aspect of the entire M+S system
to be planned in a manner which will either directly support training
intelligence or not negatively affect intelligence training. This planning
includes not only selection of which collection assets are to be modeled,
but also what level of M+S support will be given to each phase of the
intelligence process and what aspects will be controlled by a man-in-the-loop. Modeling of processes, particularly those involving an
analytical or other human thought process, is exceptionally difficult.
Particular attention must be paid to all models (platform, process,
reporting, environmental, etc.) involved in supporting intelligence
processes within the complete M+S system. If desired intelligence processes,
platforms, functions, and reporting procedures are modeled in an integrated
manner with the complete training system, many of the intelligence personnel
may move from the support side to the training side of the exercise
structure. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Synthetic
Theater of War (STOW) project is an Advanced Concept Technology
Demonstration (ACTD) designed to evolve several key aspects of emerging M+S
technologies. One area selected for development was intelligence modeling.
STOW was constructed with an eye to providing Joint Task Force (JTF) and
Component staff training. STOW is not an acquisition program but rather an
effort to push M+S technology to new limits and transition that technology
to other joint and service training systems.
The
STOW modeling of JTF-related intelligence assets and processes was developed
using a distributed development methodology with independent development
paths employed by the different organizations involved. As a result, STOW could not employ the systems approach across all areas relating to
intelligence M+S. STOW attempted to apply key principles of the systems
approach to the modeling of intelligence with varying degrees of success
with many important lessons learned. These lessons, as analyzed and
presented below, highlight the need for the use of a complete system approach when developing intelligence training systems.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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Gary
S. Kollmorgen
BMH Associates, Inc.
Verification,
Validation and Accreditation/Certification (VV&A/C) have long been
required steps in producing a Model & Simulation (M&S) that will
satisfy the user. It has also been largely under-resourced, sidestepped or
ignored because of time and cost constraints. One of the perceived
difficulties in performing VV&A is the certification of the data used in
M&S systems. Data collection often commences with little or no
definition of "what specific"
data needs to be collected or how this data will be used in the resulting
software model. Interjecting verification and validation of data, and hence
data certification, at appropriate points during software development, can
occur with little impact on development schedules. To be sure, certification
of data is not free, but it does not have to be difficult and it can be
accomplished within reasonable resource constraints. More importantly, this
certification is absolutely necessary to achieve a valid model that can then
be accredited for its particular use. This paper will show when data
verification, validation and certification should occur during system
software development. Additionally, it will propose a redefinition of data
certification that will limit data use based on the validation of the data
and the model that will use the data.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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Douglas
P. Glasson
Kevin R. Richard
Christopher A. Scheffer
TASC, Inc
The
Product Development Framework (PDF) is a unified computational
infrastructure that facilitates collaboration and use of predictive
simulations in modern, cross-domain collaborative engineering processes, Key
elements of the PDF process include:
Centralized
control of a common reference view of the product,
Elimination
of non-value-added effort in use of predictive simulations,
Simulation-based
impact analysis to evaluate proposed design changes,
Facilitation
of the collaboration process for distributed design development teams.
A
majority of the technology required to realize the PDF is currently
available from the commercial marketplace. Critical“gap-filler”
technologies are required in design data exchange, information
representation and flow management, and intra-domain tool integration. Under
sponsorship of a DoD-industry partnership, the Automotive Product Development Framework (APDF) program is addressing these critical
technologies and integrating a pilot PDF applicable to the commercial
automotive industry and the DoD combat vehicle industrial base.
This
paper provides an overview of the PDF vision and architecture, strategies
and development plans for the gap-filler technologies, and a description of
applications to date.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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Applied
Research Laboratories
The University of Texas at Austin
The
Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Master Plan, formally adopted in October
1995, established the need for a Common Technical Framework to facilitate
efficient and effective use of models and simulations across Department of Defense (DoD) agencies. The DoD High Level Architecture (HLA) is a critical
component of the Common Technical Framework, and currently represents the
highest priority within the DoD M&S community. The purpose of the HLA is
to facilitate interoperability between simulation systems and reuse of
simulation components. Key to achieving these objectives is the concept of
the HLA object model. HLA Federation Object Models (FOMs) are used to define
the exchange of public data among participants in an HLA federation. HLA
Simulation Object Models (SOMs) are used to describe the intrinsic
capabilities that individual simulation systems can offer to HLA
federations. To further support simulation interoperability through the HLA
object model development process, the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office
(DMSO) has provided a resource—the Object Model Data Dictionary (OMDD).
OMDD contents are developed based on the needs of HLA federation
implementations and are consistent with authoritative data sources,
including DoD-wide data standards. The Object Model Data Dictionary System (OMDDS)
provides Web-based access to OMDD contents and is integrated with other HLA
object modeling tools, including the HLA Object Model Library (OML) and Object Model Development Tools. The result is an integrated tool suite and
data dictionary resource. This paper will describe the content of the OMDD,
the development process for that content, and the automated tool support for
the development and use of OMDD content. The HLA development process,
including the OMDD development, is an ongoing effort of DMSO and the DoD
Architecture Management Group (AMG).
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
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Michael
H. Thompson
Allan P. White
Veridian Veda Operations
The
development of simulation systems requires information which describes
validated, standard descriptions of the physical environment (e.g.,
terrain), systems and materiel (e.g., equipment), organization (e.g.,
units), doctrine and process (e.g., tasks), and their interactions. In the
past, this information has been collected and, in some cases, produced by
the simulation developer. Often the information that was collected or
produced was not traceable to an authoritative source within the defense
community, thus bypassing the Validation, Verification and Accreditation
(W&A) process, Additionally, the information that was used to produce
the simulation models in the past was not readily accessible to future
simulation developers. Therefore, when a new simulation was constructed,
there was little source information reuse from existing simulations. To
resolve these issues, the US Army Simulation and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM)
and the National Simulation Center (NSC) proposed the research and
development of the Functional Description of the Battlespace (FDB) system.
The FDB is a simulation-independent distributed repository system designed
for the collection, production and organization of validated sets of
traceable data that can be accessed via the Internet by remote sites to support the development of future simulation systems. The FDB program is the
Army’s contribution to the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO)
Conceptual Model of the Mission Space (CMMS) and serves as the interim CMMS
data repository. This paper will discuss current and future FDB
capabilities.
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Michael
d. Myjak
The Virtual Workshop, Titusville Fl
Russell
L. Carter
Conceptual Systems And Software, Chino Valley Az
Douglas
D. Wood And Mikel D. Petty
Institute For Simulation And Training, Orlando Fl
The
High Level Architecture (HLA) supports the interoperation of sets of
simulations within the context of a Federation Object Model (FOM), using the
HLA Interface Specification services as provided by the Run-Time
Infrastructure (RTI). Such simulations are federates and the set of
federates is a federation. A run of a federation is a federation execution. Although the “normal” mode of operation is for a federate to operate in
a single federation execution at any given point in time, the definition of
HLA leaves open the possibility that a federate may be a member of multiple
concurrently executing federation executions.
In
other words, two (or more) concurrent federation executions, of the same or
different federations, could have one or more federates in common.
Presumably the common federate(s) would exchange information between
executions or otherwise use the events of one execution to influence
another. There are several distinct types of multi-federation executions. At
the most basic level of classification, they can be broadly typed as either bridged
or hierarchical. Bridged federation executions have one or more federates, called bridge federates,
which are members of two (or more) federation executions.
Recent
literature has been primarily directed toward the common, or bridge
federates which exchange (or transform) information between federation
executions. In a hierarchical federation execution, one or more federates in
the higher-level federation are composed of and implemented as lower-level
federations, but appear as federates at the higher level. In this paper we
develop a taxonomy of multiple federation executions, including examples.
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Patricia
Devine
Glenn Gross
Lockheed Martin Federal Systems – Manassas
Distributed
simulation research using the High Level Architecture (HLA), the Runtime
Infrastructure (RTI) and an acoustics simulation object model was performed
by Lockheed Martin Federal Systems in Manassas, VA. This research connected
two high fidelity acoustics trainers using our defined HLA object models and
the DMSO provided RTI. The scenarios selected included the following entity
types: US fast attack submarines, opposing force (OPFOR) submarines, surface
ships and aircraft. As additional entities were added to the scenario,
timing, CPU and network bandwidth measurements were made. This paper
describes the lessons learned from using the HLA for real-time high fidelity
human-in-the-loop simulations. Specific problem areas are detailed and
corrective actions are suggested when developing/building HLA simulations.
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Roger
L. West
Timothy M. Aquilino
John F. Lyons
Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory
Theater
Missile Defense (TMD), the ability to protect against ballistic missile
attack, is a front-page topic. One of the key issues in evaluating TMD is to
measure and balance the four pillars that comprise TMD: attack operations;
active defense; passive defense; and command, control, communications, and
intelligence (C3I). Attack operations encompasses destroying TBM assets and
infrastructure on the ground; active defense involves destroying missiles
after launch but before impact; passive defense entails protection of the
defended asset if the threat missile does impact; and C3I provides attack
warning, cueing, situational awareness and provides the framework for
interoperability among the TMD systems.
This
paper provides results from an Internal Research and Development (IR&D)
effort that constructed a confederation of interacting models that treat all
four pillars over the duration of a campaign. Each pillar was hosted on a
separate PC, and the four models were federated utilizing the High Level
Architecture (HLA) specification with an existing Runtime Infrastructure (RTI).
The objective was to demonstrate the capability of running these models
faster than real time, and to discover the limitations of how many threats
can be treated over what duration of campaign while still maintaining a faster-than-real-time capability. This paper describes the TMD family of
systems (e.g., Phased Array Tracking to Intercept Of Target (PATRIOT),
Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), Navy Area Defense (NAD),
communications), the network (computers, links), and the models with
simplified equations, and presents results of the effort.
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Rodney
Rogers
Gary Green
Michelle Sartor
Institute
for Simulation and Training
Pamela Woodard
STRICOM, AMSTI-ET
The
Low Cost Visualization (LCV) Project team at the Institute for Simulation
has developed a prototype Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Benchmark Suite
for testing 3D image rendering and realtime simulation capabilities of Low
Cost Visualization Systems, i.e. PC-based computer systems capable of
rendering 3D images and costing several thousand dollars. Previously
reported research led to a focus on four OpenGL-based public domain
benchmarks running under Windows NT. From these four, we selected scenario
tests most resembling real-time simulation applications in scene complexity
(terrain, culture, moving models and viewpoint, level of detail control,
special effects, &c) and graphics rendering parameters (smooth shading,
antialiasing, texture mapping, double buffering, transparency, hidden
surface removal, &c). In addition, we included primitive tests designed
to measure the maximum performance capabilities of an LCV system. Finally,
we selected tests to evaluate the rendering quality of LCV systems, which
turns out to be a matter of fundamental importance. We describe the M&S
Benchmark Suite and analyze data produced by running it on nine different
LCV systems. While the primary goal in testing was to verify the consistency
and usefulness of the suite, our results reveal insights into performance
capabilities of LCV Systems and software that runs on them. We also show how
we revised the prototype M&S Benchmark Suite as a result of what we
learned, and indicate future research directions in the LCV Project.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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James
Parsons
Don Lampton
Kimberly Parsons
Bruce W. Knerr
David Russell
Glenn Martin
Jason Daly
Bryan Kline
Matthew Weaver
Institute for Simulation & Training
University of Central Florida
US Army Research Institute
The
Fully Immersive Team Training Testbed was developed to study the methods for
using Virtual Environment (VE) technology for training dismounted infantry
teams. The testbed allows multiple trainees networked together on different computers to be immersed simultaneously and produces a compelling sense of
presence; a powerful feeling of being immersed in the VE. A wide variety of
parameters can be configured for inclusion in a training scenario including
tools, weapons, dynamic environmental objects, and number and skill level of
opposition forces. In addition to providing a simulation arena for
multiplayer interaction, the testbed captures all aspects of a mission,
including radio communication, visuals with unrestrained placement of
camera, and environmental audio and are made available for use in after
action critiques. This paper describes the implementation methods used for
creating the complex simulation testbed. The environment is scalable and
supports the networking of trainees located in different cities. Specifics
on custom hardware development, software structure, body sensor deployment,
locomotion method and networking solutions are provided. In addition, the
implementation of a training scenario is described, and results are
presented.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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A
NEW TECHNIQUE FOR DESIGN AND MODELING
MILES WITH INCREASED WEAPON SIMULATOR FIDELITY
J.
L. Arnold, J. C. Solinsky
JLA Associates, Irvine, CA
A
New Technique for Design and Modeling MILES with Increased Weapon Simulator
Fidelity' presents a model which enhances the precision of the Multiple
Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES).
MILES
is used in force-on-force training, and the realism of the kill zone of each
weapon directly effects the training credibility of the system. The training
experience lives or dies on the acceptance of the trainee that his tactical
effect is a mirror of what would happen on a real battlefield. The CAD-like
program presented here allows precision design of the laser kill zones. A
graphical user interface (GUI) for the system designer is illustrated.
Dynamic atmospherics are shown to be critical and are quantitatively
assessed. Algorithms are described for laser beam calculations, target
detector geometry options, and the modeling of dynamic atmospheric effects.
Kill zone plots are presented. Use of the software to explore design options
for area effect weapons is described, as is use of the software to examine
the effects of recoil during laser code transmission.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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M&S
TOOLS FOR THE JTF COMMAND AND STAFF:
ENHANCING MISSION ANALYSIS AND TRAINING
Warren
H. Switzer
AB Technologies, Inc.
Alexandria, VA 22311-1705
As
the executors of missions, Joint Task Force (JTF) commanders and staffs face
a widening spectrum of specified and implied tasks. These tasks often
pertain to missions less focused on traditional military roles of conflict
resolution, and more on stability promotion, humanitarian assistance, and
peacekeeping operations. Yet, due to the uncertain nature of the
environments in which military forces may be deployed, JTF commanders, with
limited warning, must be prepared to execute the complete range of military
requirements swiftly and effectively. This places a heavy burden on
contingency planning and the integration of forces and elements into teams
that may have limited time to rehearse missions. This paper describes how
modeling and simulations can support JTF commanders and staffs. The paper
posits a process by which modeling and simulation tools can be used to
accomplish the key functions of mission analysis and current status
assessment, and the availability and suitability of current models and
simulations to address those functions. In addition, this paper identifies
potential collateral benefits incident to using the process and assorted
modeling and simulation tools that support the JTF commander and his staff.
In short, this paper focuses on what modeling and simulation can do to:
analyze the JTF missions, reveal training requirements, accomplish training
objectives, and assist in the contingency planning process.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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COST-EFFECTIVE
SIMULATION of ENEMY FORCES
THROUGH 'EFFECTS-BASED' WARGAMING
Patrick
Beautement MSc, PGCE
Defence Evaluation Research Agency, Malvern, United Kingdom, 1998.
1.
One of the biggest costs in setting up and running exercises is the
provision of staff to run the 'White / Red Forces' response cells. This
paper will look at a novel, but already proven, approach called
'Effects-based' Wargaming. When exercises (such as BLUE FLAG or UNION FLASH)
are set up, the first task is to identify the 'training audience'. Once this
has been done, the size of the white and red response cells and the amount
of computer support required can be estimated. The assumption made is that
for the exercise to be valid the white and red response cells and the
computer simulation must simulate everything which leads to large expensive
response cells and to simulations which can be cumbersome and inflexible to
operate.
2.
The paper questions this assumption and maintains that for many exercises an
'Effects-based' wargame would be more than adequate. 'Effects-based'
wargaming starts by understanding and documenting the Warfighter Process
(examples given in the paper). This indicates what thinking, knowledge
acquisition and decision-making processes are required to be stimulated
(especially those inside the heads of the warfighters) so that the exercise
is successful. Once this has been decided upon, all that is then required is
to provide an environment around the training audience which causes the
required thinking to take place.
3.
This environment is created by using STIMULATION systems which simulate the
effects of the external entities with which the warfighter would interact.
The stimulation systems can be much simpler and cheaper than 'normal'
wargames as they only have to simulate enough of the real world to provide
the warfighter with the effects and inputs / outputs which they would
expect. This stimulation environment makes heavy use of real world message
formats to simplify the C4I to simulation interface.
4.
A key feature of Effects-Based Wargaming is the White Team Suite which
provides a specialist White / Red Team interface to control the generation
of the effects required in a non-deterministic way.
Overall,
the paper will explain what 'Effects-based' Wargaming is and how to use it
effectively. Examples of exercises using this approach will be detailed.
Please note that the views expressed in this article are those of the Author
and do not necessarily reflect MOD Policy.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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DEVELOPMENT
OF A MODULAR, IMMERSIVE/SEMI-IMMERSIVE
SYSTEM FOR SIMULATION OF SHIP-TO-SHORE CAUSEWAY LIGHTERAGE
Gregory
J. Opas (Nichols Research Corp., Advanced Marine Enterprises Business Unit)
Frank A. Leban (Carderock Division – Naval Surface Warfare Center Code
293)
This
paper describes the design, development, and preliminary operational
evaluation of the Advanced Lighterage Simulator, a dual use system developed
by Advanced Marine Enterprises under contract to Carderock Division Naval
Surface Warfare Center. The primary use of the Advanced Lighter Simulator (ALS)
is engineering evaluation of new or modified lighters and their associated
systems, with the secondary purpose of training of lighter pilots and
coxswains in a realistic sea state environment. The present effort was to
develop a prototype system from which to generate a performance
specification for procurement of a follow-on system with the features
necessary to train lighter pilots and coxswains in the full operational
envelope of the existing and developmental lighter systems. To meet the
project objectives and provide a clear avenue for enhancements as technology
progresses, the simulator has been implemented with a modular, flexible
open-system design, based on commercial-off-the-shelf technology. Advanced
Marine Enterprises’ Virtual Ship7 software system provides the baseline
hydrodynamics, visual scene generation, and simulation control capabilities.
For the Advanced Lighter Simulation project, a number of enhancements to the
hydrodynamics modeling and the visual scene representation have been added.
A significant feature of the system is visual scene generation and
presentation through two head mounted displays (HMDs), one of which is fully
immersive, the other which is semi-immersive. The trainee in the semi-immersive
HMD interacts simultaneously with both the visual scene presented in the
virtual environment, and with physical controls located in a simulated
coxswain’s cab. Meanwhile, the pilot trainee in the fully immersive HMD
interacts with the visual scene presented in the virtual environment, and in
turn appears in the visual scene presented to the coxswain trainee. This
effect is brought about by the use of an avatar driven by two additional
channels of motion tracking to provide cues regarding hand/arm signals made
by the fully immersed trainee to the semi-immersed trainee in the
coxswain’s cab.
Other
salient features of the system include: a 6-DOF electric motion base which
can be implemented at either student station, the use of a joystick for
controlling the position of the immersed student’s eyepoint/avatar
location, and the use of reconfigurable touch sensitive screens as part of
the physical console control.
The
paper chronicles the key decisions made in the design and development of the
prototype system with feedback from the prospective end-users on the utility
of certain system features for this application.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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A
PERSONAL COMPUTER-BASED MULTIMEDIA
SUBMARINE SHIP CONTROL SIMULATOR
Paul
E. Biegel
Susan P. Brown
Tom C. Mason
Dente D. Poland
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
In
addressing the need to improve the cost effectiveness of training, the Navy
is implementing personal computer- (PC) based, interactive multimedia
courses such as the Submarine Ship Control Training Program. Developed at
the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), this program
is a multimedia and simulation-based training tool that teaches the
principles of submarine ship handling for various classes of US submarines.
Being PC-based, the program provides the capability for students to conduct
independent and self-paced training on laptop Pcs while aboard ship and
underway on long-duration deployments. One feature of the program provides
multimedia lessons that educate in the theory, techniques, and procedures
related to driving a submarine while submerged. The program’s most
significant feature, however, is a high fidelity, six-degree-of-freedom,
interactive, real-time ship control simulation (built by APL originally for
analysis applications) in which students can practice driving a
“virtual” submarine while responding to problem scenarios. This training
tool has been in the fleet since early 1997 and has been well received by
submarine crews. This article discusses the evolution of the Ship Control
Training Program, from its origin as an analytical simulation to its
development as a multimedia PC-based training tool.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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TRAINING
ROV PILOTS WITH A
VE-BASED INTELLIGENT TUTORING
SYSTEM
Barbara
Fletcher
Imetrix, Inc.
Bruce
Roberts
BBN Technologies
Remotely
operated vehicles (ROVs) are widely used in military and commercial
applications such as mine countermeasures, search and salvage, offshore oil
and gas production, and structural inspection. Due to the expense and
logistics involved with operating actual vehicles, training and practice is
often difficult to obtain in other than an “on the job” fashion. The
Training for Remote Sensing and Manipulation (TRANSoM) program, sponsored by
the Office of Naval Research, has developed and demonstrated a virtual
environment (VE) based system for training ROV piloting skills. This system
is a unique combination of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) within a VE
simulation which offers individualized instruction in a self-paced,
guided-practice learning environment. It has been prototyped and tested
extensively over the past three years. Verification and validation tests
have demonstrated the fidelity of the simulation when compared to an actual
ROV system. Transfer tests have demonstrated the system’s training
effectiveness, indicating that practice with the simulation based system
yields comparable piloting performance to practice with the actual ROV.
Skills learned under simulation were also transferable to other related
tasks. System enhancements currently in process include development of a
curriculum to teach situation awareness, development of mission planning and
rehearsal tools, and porting to a PC-based platform.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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INTEGRATING
LEGACY TRAINING ASSETS INTO
DISTRIBUTED MISSION TRAINING (DMT)
"A
DMT Gateway Approach"
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
The
Distributed Mission Training (DMT) program generates several challenging
technical issues with respect to the integration of legacy training assets.
There is a strong requirement to develop effective, cost-effective methods
for integrating existing training simulators; the DMT program simply can not
afford to fund the development of all new trainers. The approach to
integrating legacy assets must:
(1)
Minimize changes to existing hardware and software;
(2)
Minimize trainer downtime, so training can take place "as usual"
during the transition to DMT; and
(3)
Be scaleable to support future large-scale
DMT
training events. In this paper, we discuss a method based on our Legacy
Interface Network Kernel (LINK) Agent and Object Broker (OB) technology. The
LINK Agent uses dynamic interface layers to minimize intrusion to the legacy
software and hardware. We also present the DMT interface, processing, and
network requirements that will likely be levied on trainer systems; and show
one possible solution to meet the requirements.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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DESIGNING
EXPERIMENT SIMULATORS FOR
DISTRIBUTED INTERACTIVE SIMULATIONS
J.
Allen Taylor
Training Systems Group/Teledyne Brown Engineering
The
training of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts
and science teams for on-orbit experiment operations is a process that
involves discrete steps which build on each other and culminate with Joint
Integrated Simulations (JISs). The JIS is a distributed interactive
simulation that simultaneously tasks the astronaut crew, mission support
ground teams, and experiment support science teams with on-orbit scenarios.
These teams are spread out over six different locations at the Johnson Space
Center in Houston, Texas, and the Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Alabama. In addition, there are four simulation training teams
located in two different facilities at each of the NASA centers. In
preparation for these JISs, simulators are designed to represent each of the
experiments in the payload of the specific shuttle mission. These simulators
are designed to operate within the mission operations training environment
for payload crew and mission operations training. The payload training
complement is also designed to work within the flight training system for
the overall JIS environment.
This
paper addresses the real-time data flow required during these simulations to
provide each of the trainees with a flight-like environment while: keeping
the simulation on schedule, monitoring the activities of the trainees,
managing the simulation process, and still maintaining a flight-like
environment that is transparent to all of the trainees. A brief overview of
the individual simulator purposes and usage prior to the JIS environment
will be given to show the preparation and buildup process leading into the
JIS environment. The paper will also discuss the combination of real-world
flight and simulator system mix that must be combined to implement a
successful simulation.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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PLANNING
AND CONDUCTING SUCCESSFUL
JOINT INTEGRATED SIMULATIONS FOR SPACELAB MISSIONS
Liz
Stagg
Teledyne Training Services
Teledyne Brown Engineering
Providing
a high-fidelity, interactive simulation to train the astronaut flight crew,
mission operations personnel, and hundreds of scientists located around the
world requires a well-defined plan, a clearly documented process, relentless
preparation, and a collaborative team approach. The Joint Integrated
Simulation (JIS) is the culmination of a series of Spacelab mission
simulations, each building upon the last in complexity and fidelity. As the
dress rehearsal for a mission, it is critical that JISs maintain a
flight-like environment while training teams, which are located in different
facilities at multiple sites and which represent two NASA centers with
different training objectives, introduce unexpected flight scenarios and
malfunctions to simulation participants.
After
describing the JIS environment, this paper will explore the purpose,
structure, and development of planning tools that ensure seamless JIS
execution: the JIS Simulation Working Group, Joint Operations Handbook, the
integrated JIS simulation script, the pre-JIS briefing, and the Facility
Interface Checkout.
Techniques
for tailoring these elements to the unique characteristics of the mission
and the objectives of the simulation will be addressed. Developing these
tools results in a well-defined JIS plan as well as a collaborative team
environment, in which each member is confident that communication strategies
are clear, facilities are ready, and training objectives can be met.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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JSIMS: WORDS TO ACTIONS
Michael
Papay, Ph.D.
Jack Borah
TRW Inc., JSIMS I&D AEgis Research Corp., JSIMS I&D
The development of Life Cycle Applications tools for the Joint
Simulation System (JSIMS) is a complex task that requires an understanding
of user requirements, systems engineering, object oriented analysis, and
training methodologies. This paper describes the process of transforming a
large array of user requirements from a multitude of independent sources
into a high level system design. This process was characterized by frequent
interactions with the users, appropriate application of business process
reengineering, and iterative system requirements analysis and functional
analysis. Popular object oriented techniques were synthesized into the JSIMS
Object-Oriented Process (JOOP) to improve the communication of the
requirements set to the simulation developers within the JSIMS Enterprise
community. Two very important aspects of the Requirements-to-Software
process were a detailed study of the user requirements so that the
developers could obtain the proper perspective on Joint and Service Specific
training goals, and providing feedback to the partner development programs
and ultimately the JSIMS users. This feedback was provided throughout the
development process by means of collaborative events such as requirements
walk-throughs, high level design peer reviews and web-based electronic or
hard copy distribution of analysis documentation such as JOOP context
diagrams, use cases, and draft Graphical User Interface screens.
Collaborative design tools designed to maximize efficiency were employed to
maintain traceability to the user requirements from the beginning of the
systems engineering process through software development and test.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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CROSS-CONTRACTOR,
CROSS DISCIPLINE SOFTWARE
INTEGRATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Camille
Brinkman
Science Applications International Corporation
The
Joint Simulation Systems (JSIMS) technical vision is a single, distributed,
seamlessly integrated simulation environment. JSIMS is a simulation system
that supports the twenty-first century warfighter’s preparation for
real-world contingencies. The joint environment comprises seven product
teams known as Development Agents (DAs): USMC, Maritime, National Air &
Space (Warfare) Model (NASM), Warfighter’s Simulation (WARSIM), National
Simulation (NATSIM), WARSIM Intelligence Module (WIM) and JSIMS Integration
& Development (I&D) team. Since JSIMS encompasses several military
organizations, this paper is constrained to discussing the Proof of Concept
software build, Build 0, for the Mission Space Objects (MSO), an
application’s piece of the JSIMS architecture. MSO comprises the seven
product teams. The focus of this paper is on the development process,
products, communication techniques and lessons learned that were useful for
succeeding in a diverse development environment.
This paper is available on the 1998 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it
from I/ITSEC'S Website
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SIMULATION COMPOSABILITY FOR JSIMS
Brett
Butler
Science Applications International Corporation
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